Ammunition-carrier.



No. 801,076. PATENTED OGTIS, 1905.

' E. T. GIBSON.

AMMUNITION CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 14 I INVE/VTOR Edward Tar/5802a ATTORNEYS No. 801,076. PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

' 13. T. GIBSON.

AMMUNITION CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

I mL 3 s 3 L I 1 U3 K L INVEfJTOR Edward 2 76,2580

ATTORNEYS EDI VARD TINKHAM GIBSON, OF. MATAWAN, NEW JERSEY.

AMMUNITION-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed June 8, 1905. Serial No. 264,302.

To (0 1071/0772, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD TINKHAM GIB- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Matawan, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ammunition-Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of ammunition-carriers in which the ammunition is suspended across the body from one shoulder.

During a prolonged engagement it-beeomes n ecessary'to furnish soldiers from time to time with additional ammunition to replace that which they have expended. The exigencies are such as to make it desirable that the quantity intended for each soldier be issued in a way which admits of the soldier quickly obtaining his allotted amount and quickly securing it upon his person.

The first object of my invention is to provide ashoulder-supported ammunition-carrier which possesses the good feature of a bandoleer which so carries the ammunition that none of it comes between the arm of the wearer and his body, and thereby relieves the brachial nerve and artery from the injurious pressure and poundings which they sustain when the ammunition is carried as in an ordinary bandoleer.

The second object of my invention is to provide a shoulder-supported carrier comprising a package-bearing piece, supporting means, and securing means, which admits of thesaid package-bearing piece being detached and discarded when the supply of packages borne on it is exhausted and replaced by a duplicate package-bearing piece bearing a fresh supply of packages, said supporting means comprising a body band carrying package-bearing-piece-fastening means, said securing means comprising waist-belt-fastening means adapted to attach the carrier to a waist-belt, said package-bearing piece consisting of a piece provided along its length with package-holders constructed to hold packages (consisting of clips or magazines of cartridges, or packages consisting of pasteboard boxes containing ammunition, or packages consisting of the articles for first aid to the wounded which hospital-corps soldiers carry, or packages consisting of the small articles for personal use which a soldier now carries in his blanket-roll) and provided with end-fastening means dctachably engagmg with said package-bearing-piece-fastening means, and said securing means adapted to retain said body-band in working position on the body of the wearer when the said package-bearing piece is detached from the carrier, and thereby admit of said packagebearing piece being detached and thrown away when the ammunition held in its package-holders'is exhausted and replaced at any time by a duplicate package-bearing piece bearing a fresh supply of ammunition or of being detached and laid aside if it is desired to replace a package-bearing piece bearing the soldiers personal articles by a packagebearing piece bearing ammunition; and the third object of my invention is to provide package-holders which cost so little to prepare that the piece on which they are fashioned may be thrown away when the contents of the package-holders is exhausted.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a carrier constructed on the lines of my present invention. Fig. 2 exhibits the carrier shown in Fig. 1 in use. In this figure the carrier is illustrated unprovided with package-holders and cartridgecovering strip and the waist-belt in use with the carrier is one having pockets. Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the body-band of the carrier shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the package-bearing piece and the cartridge-covering strip having been detached. Fig. 4: is a view of a transverse section of an extremity of the package-bearing piece shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a section of the package-bearing piece shown in Fig. 1, showing in full view a package-holder fashioned to hold a package consisting of a clip of cartridges. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the section of the package-bearing piece shown in Fig. 5 with the cord-loops of the package-holder removed, this figure showing in full view the wire-formed bullet-sockets and loop-holders which enter into the construction of the package-holders fashioned on opposite surfaces of the package-bearing piece in Figs. 1 and 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modification of the package-holder when fashioned to hold a clip of cartridges. Fig. 8 is a view of a portion of a waist-belt provided with a fixed ring for a point of attachment for the waist-belt-fastening means on the rear end of the carrier. Fig. 9 is a view showing the waist-belt-fastening means for the rear end of the carrier as consisting of a double hook, which is adapted to engage with points of attachment on the length of a waistbelt, (only a portion shown,) the points of attachment consisting of openings formed in the fabric of the belt. Fig. 10 is a view of a transverse section of a package-bearing piece, showing that by fastening the package-holders to hold clips of cartridges with their clip ends adjacent to the same edge of the package-bearing piece a piece may be employed which is much narrower than that which is shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a package-bearing piece provided with package-holders fashioned to hold packages consisting of pasteboard boxes containing clips or magazines of ammunition, and in this figure one of the package holders is represented as holding such a package. Fig. 12 is a View of a transverse section of a package-bearing piece having a holder fashioned to hold a package consisting of a box and showing the loop-holder carried on the fabric of the package-bearing piece. Fig. 13 is a front view of a modification of the body-band of my carrier in use in connection with the suspenders which are now employed in the United States Army to support the ammunition waist-belt. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the body-band of a carrier to which my improvements are applied. Fig. 15 is a front perspective view showing the lower end of the front portion of the body-band shown in Fig. 14 as it appears when secured to a waist belt. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a carrierimproved on the lines of my present invention. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a modification of the bullet-socket. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a modification of the end-fastening means on an end of a packagebearing piece and of a modification of the packagebearing piece fastened on a portion of a body-band. Fig. 19 is a view of a modification of the bulletsocket.

In the following specification the term body-band will not be employed in the sense of its meaning a continuous strip of some band material, but in the sense of its meaning the combination of pieces which enter into the construction of the body feature of the invention, which feature has the'general con formation of a band.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the front portion, and A the back portion, of a piece consisting of a strip which in these figures forms the body-band of the ammunition-carrier and which is preferably formed of woven fabric l two and one-fourth inches wide. The said front portion A. has an extension a folded back to form a loop a, which is held in the embrace of a slidmgloop a, and the sald back 1 portion has an extension a? folded back to form a loop a", which is held in the embrace of a sliding loop (/f. The object of these folded extensions (L and (6 is primarily to permit of the lengthening and shortening of the bodyband to fit the wearer, and in order that the free ends of the said extensions may be detachably secured to desired points along the length of the body-band the said free ends are provided with suitable fastening devices, the end of the extension (6 being provided in this instance with a well-known fastening device consisting of a double hook (0, adapted to engage with eyelets m and the end of the extensionyf provided with a similar double hook (12, adapted to engage with eyelets at". The said extension (6 is slidably engaged on a bearing in a link B, which carries securing means consistingof a waist-belt fastener consisting in this instance of a hook G. hen this bodyband is in use, (see Fig. 2. it is suspended upon the front and back of the body from one shoulder with its ends carried to separate points of attachment on the length of a waist-belt D and separatelyattached thereto, the lower end of the said front portion A being in this instance attached to the waist-belt D by sliding one of the buckle ends of the waist-belt through the loop rt, (which loop serves to form a suitable waist-beltfastener,) and the lower end of the said back portion A being attached to the waist-belt by passing the waistbelt fastener U downward between the waist-belt and the wearers body and hooking it over the lower edge of a waist-belt, (the pockets (1, Fig. 2, which exist on the United States Army amm unition-belts, affording shoulders against which the said hook C may bring up) the space in advance of each pocket affording a suitable point of attachment for this particular waist-belt fastener C. In said Figs. 1 and 2 the packagebearing piece U is provided on its opposite extremities with endfasteners E and F, consisting of hooks in this instance, and in Fig. 1 is provided between its said extremities with paclmge-holders F, dividing a portion of the length of the said piece into holder-sections. In Fig. l the portion it of the package-bearing piece is intended to rest upon the shoulder of the wearer and is therefore left clear. The package-holders F (hereinafter fully described) are fashioned on both the front and back surfaces of the packagebearing-piece U, and each is illustrated as being fashioned to hold a package consisting of a clip of cartridges, Gr representing the clip end,and g the bullet end, of a clip of cartridges. The said end-fastener E detaehably engages with a bearing on a package-bearing-piece fastener H, which is carried on the said front portion A of the body-band and which package-bearing-piece fastener in this instance consists of a link which passes through eyelets it, and the said end fastener E deetachably engages with a bearing on a package bearing-piece fastener I, which is slidably carried on the said back portion A of the bod yband and which package-bearing-piece fastener in this instance consists of a sliding link which has in addition to the said bearing 2' a bearing 2", on which is slidably engaged an adjusting-strip J, one end of which is secured to the said back portion A by rivets 7' and the other end of which is provided with fastening means which in this instance'is a well-known one, consisting of a hook adapted to engage with eyelets The object of the said adjusting-strip J is to provide the carrier with adjusting means whereby the distance on the length of the body-band between the said package-bearing-piece fasteners may be increased and diminished to adapt the said packagebearing piece fasteners to hold a package-bearing piece in a fully-extended and tensely-drawn state when on the body of a wearer.

The carrier illustrated in Fig. 1 is shown provided with a cartridge-covering strip X, (its central portion being broken away in the flgure,) which is adapted to extend over and cover the exposed clips of cartridges (to prevent their glistening) and which has its forward end portion slidably engaged on a hearing in a double link X, carried on the loop a, and its rear end attached to a link X slidably carried on the adjusting-strip J.

In the carrier illustrated in Fig. 1 it will be seen that as the end-fasteners E and E are similar and the package-bearing-piece fasteners H and I are similar the package-bearing piece U may be detached from the body-band when the contents of the package-holders on the front portion of the carrier are exhausted and reattached to the body-band in a reversed position, and it will also be seen that when the entire contents of the package-holders is exhausted the package-bearing strip may be detached and thrown away, and, furthermore, it will be seen that in this carrier the body-band is so secured on the body of the wearer by securing means (which in this instance consists of the described waist-beltfastening means) that it is retained in a working position on the body of the wearer when the package-bearing piece is detached from the carrier and that at any time a duplicate package-bearing piece bearing another supply of packages may be attached to the package-bearing-piece fastening means on the body-band.

An inexpensive and neat way of finishing the extremities of the package-bearing piece U is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, which latter figure shows two folds of an extremity of a package-bearing piece U, (formed in this instance from a strip of woven fabric,) held in a fold a of a plate which forms the end-fastener E and which plate is secured to said extremity by rivets, one of which, a, is shown. Each of the package-holders on the said package-bearin piece U in Fig. 1 is formed as is the package-holder F, which is shown in detail in Fig. 5that is to say, the packageholderFcomprises in its constructiona bulletsocket K, which in thisinstance carries a loopholder L and short sections of a length of cord M, which are held at their ends in such relation to the package-bearing piece as to form a group of loops 927., m m and m on one of the surfaces of a section of the length of the said package-bearing piece.

The bullet-socket K, which is shown in full view in Fig. 6, is formed from a piece of moderately-pliable wire bent to provide a base It, having two arms k and on one of which an eye or loop 71: is formed and the other of which is divided to form two arms 70* and 76 This bullet-socket K is secured to the package-bearing strip U by its base it, which transfixes the fabric of the strip, and by the legs if and 70 which are bent upon the said fabric, as shown in Fig. 6, (or as shown in Fig. 10,) and the said eye or loop if is adapted to receive the bullet end of one of the cartridges in a clip of cartridges and bring up against a shoulder on the said cartridge to prevent displacement of the clip of cartridges in the direction of its bullet end.

The loops m m m" form in the packageholder F socket-loops which are adapted to receive the bodies of the cartridges and prevent displacement of the clip of cartridges in the directions of its sides, and the loop m forms a cover-loop, which is adapted to be extended across the clip end of the clip of cartridges and prevent displacement of the latter in the direction of its clip. end. The said group of loops is formed, as has been stated, from a length of cord M, the said cord being passed (by means of a needle) forward and backward through the fabric of the packagebearing strip at proper points on asection of the length of the same to divide the lengthof the cord into short sections, which are adapted to form loops which admit of being brought against a given package to bind the package against the said strip and to prevent its displacement in the directions of the legs of the loops. The said loops m, m 911. and 921* have their legs slidably held in the fabric of the package bearing strip, so that the cover-loop m" may be drawn to cause a shortening of the length of the legs of the socketloops at 1223112 and consequent binding of the embraced clip of cartridges against the said strip by the said socket-loops, and the said cover-loop m is held tightly drawn by being engaged with the loop-holder L.

The loop-holder L in my package-holder has a base I, by which it is secured to the part which carries it in the package-holder, and the said base supports ahook-forrning tongue Z. In the described package-holder F the base Z (see Fig. 6) of the loop-holder L is attached to the bullet-socket K, as the loopholder and the bullet-socket K are conveniently formed together from a short length of wire which is bent to form these parts.

The metal from which the loop-holder is formed is pliable in order that its hook-forming tongue 1 (see Fig. 6) may be bent from the extended position in which it is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 6 to the hook-forming position shown in fulloutline. The said hook-forming tongue of the loop-holder is not bent to form a hook until the loop which is to be held by it is placed within the grasp of the said tongue, and then the said tongue is bent at such point on its length as will serve to hold the loop in a tautly-drawn state, and the said tongue is readily unbent by the soldiers lingers when he desires to extract the ammunition from the package-holder.

In 1 and 5 I show the said cover-loop m as being caught over the front corners of the clip G; but this is only necessary in the case of clips which have such frail catches Fig. 5, that additional means should be employed to insure the retention of the clip G on the heads of the cartridges.

IVhen there is no necessity for holding the clip (1} against sliding movement, the legs of the cover-loop 711/1 may be simply brought over the body of the clip, as is illustrated in Fig. 7, in which ligure I also show that the metallic bullet-socket K,Figs. 5 and 6,1nay be dispensed with and the bullet-socket K be fashioned by forming a socket from coils of the loop m, which is formed from a short section of the length of cord which forms the other loops in the package-holder.

If the package-holder shown in Fig. 7 is employed, the described loop-holder will be attached to the bullet-socket K by its base, I

which will be bent (as is the base of the loop-holder L in Fig. 11) to form an eye through which the said coils of the loop m will be threaded.

As has been GXDlfllDQd, the hook C, Fig. 1, will serve as a suitable waist-belt fastener to retain the lower end of the back portion A of the body-band at the desired point on the length of the waist-belt if the said belt is one which is provided with pockets or thimbles. If, however, the waist-belt is not provided with pockets or thimbles, a ring N, Fig. 8, adapted to receive the said hook, may be permanently secured to a suitable point on the length of the upper edge of the waist-belt to afford a point of attachment. Furthermore, if so desired, the carrier may retain its fea ture whereby the waist-belt fastener on its rear end is adapted to be adjusted to points of attachment along the length of a waist-belt by providing the belt (see Fig. 9) with openings (1, adapted to receive the hooked ends of waist-belt fastener N, consisting of a double hook, which is carried on a piece N of the body-band of the carrier, said piece I consisting of a ring which is carried by the piece O next adjacent to it in the length of the body-band, said piece 0 in the figure con sisting of a snap-hook which is carried on a link B, having a bearing on which the next adjacent piece A in the length of the bodyband is slidably engaged.

In Figs. 1 and 5 the package-bearing piece U is as wide as the cartridges are long, as this width (which will be three and one-half inches) is made necessary when clips of cartridges are carried in reversed positions on the opposite surfaces of the package-bearing piece. A saving of material may be made, however, by fashioning the package-holders to hold the clips of cartridges with their clip ends adjacent to the same ec go of the package-bearing piece, as is illustrated in Fig. 10, as this will only require a package-bearing piece U two and onehalf inches wide.

If the package-holder is to be fashioned to hold ammunition put up in pasteboard boxes, it will be fashioned on the lines illustrated in Fig. 11, in which a package-bearing piece U (provided on its upper extremity with an endfastener E consisting of a link, and on its lower extremity with an end-fastener E, consisting of a hook) is provided with two package-holders each consisting of loop-holders L L and L and of short sections of a length of cord which are held at their ends in such relation to the package-bearing strip E" as to form a group of loops m, m m m, m, and m on the front surface of the said packagebearing piece. The said loop m is secured to the base Z of one of the loop-holders L and is adapted to be secured to the said loop m by the hook-forming tongue Z of its loopholder to form a socket-loop which is adapted to receive a pasteboard box R, containing cartridges put up in clips G, and prevent displacement of the said box in the directions of its ends. The said loop m) is seen red to the base of another loop-holder L, while the 100 m is secured to the base of still another loopholder L, and both are adapted to be brought against the bottom of the said pasteboard box to prevent displacement of the said box in the direction of the said bottom and held in this engagement by means of the hook-forming tongues of their respective loop-holders L, which are adapted to engage the cover-loops m and m, (which latter when thus engaged are adapted to prevent displacement of the said box in the direction of its mouth.) To form the loops, as shown in the said Fig. 11, the cord is passed (by means of a needle) forward and backward through the fabric of the packagebearing strip at the required points, and to prevent the legs of the loops sliding in the fabric stitches are taken.

In Fig. 11 the pasteboard box It is illustrated with half of the cover R removed, as I shall urge that ammunition-boxes to be used in connection with my ammunitiorncarrier have their covers divided by an incision, so

as to admit of one-half of it'(or whatever portion of it covers a tier of ammunition) being removed to expose the clips or magazines covered by it.

- In arranging the group of loops for a package-holder intended to hold a box containing 4 clips or magazines of ammunition arranged in tiers in the box, as are the clips G in the box R, the cover-loops (m and m have their legs engage with the fabric of the packagebearing strip at such points as will place one of the said cover-loops in such position in the package-holder as to adapt the cover-loop to be brought across one-half of the length of the cover of the box which the package-holder is constructed to hold and as will place the other one of the said cover-loops in position to be brought across the other half of the said cover, as by this arrangement the packageholder will admit of a tier of clips or magazines being extracted from the said box without jeopardizing the safety of the remaining clips or magazines.

\Vithout departing from my invention the described cover-loops in a package-holder fashioned to hold a box may instead of engaging with the hook-formingtongue ofa loop-holder, which is secured by its base, as in Fig. 11, to an opposed loop, engage, as illustrated in Fig. 12, with the hook-forming tongue of a loopholder L, which is secured by its base to the fabric of the package-bearing strip U In this Fig. 12 R is a box, on is a cover-loop, and L is a loop-holder consisting in this instance of the well-known eyelet-hook which is seen on shoes.

1n the modifications of the body-band of my carrier (shown in Fig. 13) the package-bearing-piece fastener consists of a bearingon a waist-belt fastener P, which consists of a double hook having hook ends which engage with openings it, formed in the waist-belt D, to afford a point of attachment for the-said waist-belt fastener P, and the package-bearing-piece fastener 1, consisting in this instance of a snap-hook, is carried on the upper end of a piece A (consisting of a strip of pliable material,) which forms a part of the bodyband in this instance. The said piece A is provided with securing means, consisting of a loop A, which is slidably carried on said piece and which is adapted to be engaged by one of the shoulder-bands S of the suspenders S (which at the present time are in usein the United States Army to support ammunition waist-belts) to retain the upper portion of the said part A of the body-band in position on the shoulder of the wearer. The said piece A has an extension a, folded back to form a loop, which is held in the embrace of a sliding loop a, the object of this extension (0 being to permit of the lengthening and shortening of the body-band to support the said strip-fastener on the body of the wearer at a suitable distance from the said strip-fastener H to adapt the two said strip-fasteners and l to engage end-fasteners (such as E and E which exist on the package-bearing strip U in Fig. 11) to supporta suitable package-bearing piece on the front of the wearers thorax. gaged on a bearing in a link A*, which has a bearing on which a piece consisting of an adjusting-strip J is slidably engaged. The extension of the said adjusting-strip J is in this instance provided with a hook 7', adapted to engage with eyelets and the lower end of the piece J is attached to a link which carries a snaphook O, carrying a ring N, which carries securing means consisting of the waistbeltfastener 1 hereinbefore described, which is secured to the waist belt D.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 I show my improvements applied to the bod y-band of an ammunition-carrier which is constructed on the lines of my United States Patent No. 667,082 of January 29, 1901, in so far as it is constructed to be worn suspended from the shoulder with the two portions on the front of the body held at an angle with each other, the angle being near the Waistline and has means in connection with the angle for retaining the band in position on the front of the body. My improvements are applied to the body-band of this just-mentioned carrier in the following way: The piece A", which when the body band is in use will come upon the front of the body from beneath the arm-pit, is provided with an extension (0 which is slidably engaged on a bearing in a link A* and has a well-known sliding fastener a on its end. The said link A" is carried on the rear end of a piece A, which is adapted to extend over the shoulder of the wearer and then downward on the front of his body. This said piece A is provided with a package-bearing-piece fastener 1, consisting of a snap-hook in this instance, and with an adjusting extension a, which is slidably engaged on a bearing in a link a, which is held in a sleeve (0 carried on the upper part of the forward end of the said piece A of the body-band, and a package-bearing-piece fastener H, consisting of a link, is carried on the end of the waist-belt fastener T, which consists of a hook carried on the lower part of the front end of the said piece A" opposite the said link a.

As illustrated in Fig. 15, the waist-belt fastener T is adapted to be passed downward between the waist-belt D and the body of a wearer and hooked over the lower edge of the belt D to not only hold the body-band in position on a wearer, but to place the said package-bearing-piece fastener H in a position adapted to admitof a suitable end-fastener, such as E in Fig. 11, on the lower end of a package-bearing piece, being attached to it to hold the said lower end in position when the said package-bearing piece is suspended on the The said extension (0 is slidabl y enportion A of the body-band by the attachment of its upper end-fastener, such as E in Fig. 11, to thestrip-fastenerI, which is shown in Fig. 14:.

In the body-band illustrated in Fig. 14 the said extension at is provided to admit of alterations being made in the length of the bodyband, and the adjusting extension a is provided to admit of the distance between the said package-bearing-piece fasteners H and I being increased or diminished. the said adjusting extension (615 being provided on its end with an adjustable fastener, which in this instance is the well-known one consisting of the book 7", which is adapted to engage with eyelets In the modification illustrated in Fig. 16 I show my improvements applied to an ammunition-carrier, which is also constructed on the lines of my said patent in so far as it is composed of two portions pivotally attached to each other at both extremities and adapted to be worn suspended across the body from one shoulder and to admit of the two portions on the front of the body being brought to an angle with each other and held in this position by a waist-belt fastener. My improvements are applied to this just-mentioned ammunition-carrier in the following way: The piece A of the body-band is provided with an extension u", which is slidably engaged on a bearing in a link A and has a well-known sliding fastener 0/ on its end. The said link A is carried on a link-holding piece A", which is pivotally secured to an end of the portion A of the body-band by the pivot V, (a loose rivet.) The said portion A is provided with an extension a, which is slidably engaged on a bearing in a link i n and has a sliding fastener (1/ on its end. The said link A is carricd on a link-holding piece A, which is pivotally secured to a piece A by the pivot V, (a loose rivet.) The said piece A" carries a link A, which has a bearing on which an adjusting extension a of the said piece A is slidably engaged, and the said adjusting extension a is provided on its end with a suitable adjustable fastener, which in the present instance consists of a hook which is adapted to engage with eyelets f. The said piece A carries a package-bearing-piece fastener H, which in the present instance consists of a link, and the said portion A carries a companion package-bearing-piece fastener l, which in the present instance consists of a snap-hook. The said package-bearing-piece fastener H detachably engages with an endfastener E (in the present instance consisting of a hook) on an end of a package-bearing piece U, which on its other end is provided with an end-fastener E, (in the present instance consisting of a link,) which detachably engages with the said package-bearing-piece fastener l, and the said packagebcaring piece U is provided with packageholders (not shown in Fig. 16) adapted to hold packages consisting in the present instance of clips of cartridges G, which in Fig. 16 are illustrated as being borne on both surfaces of the said package-bearing piece U". At the pivoted point of connection between the said piece A" and the said piece A the body-band is provided with a waist-belt fastener V, consisting of a hook which is adapted to be hooked over the lower edge of a waistbelt to hold the two portions of.the bodyband on the front of the wearers body at an angle with each other, (thereby placing the package-bearing piece U' in a position which would bring it on the back of the wearers body,) and at the pivoted point of connection between the said piece A and the piece A the body-band is provided with a waist-belt fastener W, consisting of a hook (swiveled in the same sleeve with the package-bearingpiece fastener H. in the present instance) which is adapted (when the body-band is turned on the body of the wearer to bring the said package-bearing piece U" upon the front of the wearers body) to be hooked over the lower edge of a waist-belt to hold the said package-bearing piece U in a position on the front of the wearei"s body, wherein it extends from the waist-belt nearly vertically to the supportirig-shoulder.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 16 the described extensions a and a are provided to afford means for lengthening and shortening the bodyband, and the described adjusting extension a is provided to admit of the distance between the said packagebearing-piece fasteners H and 1 being increased and diminished. When a packagebearing piece is to be provided on both its front and back surfaces with the described packagc-holders for holding clips of cartridges, it is possible that the cost of its manufacture may be lessened by forming the two oppositely-disposed bullet-sockets from one piece of metal on the lines of the bulletsocket shown in Fig. 17, in which a piece of sheet metal is represented as being bent to provide a base Z1, having two arms 7.? and Zr, on one of which a sleeve 7c is formed and on the other a sleeve Z5 is formed, each of said sleeves 7a" and Z being adapted to receive the bullet ends of two of the cartridges in a clip of cartridges (and bring up against a shoulder on the cartridges) in order that a loop-holder L may be formed integral with each sleeve (only shown formed with one in Fig. 17) in a position adapted to bring it between the said two cartridges and also in order that the bullet-socket may be secured to the package bearing piece U by a rivet or eyelet-rivet X. Furthermore, the cost of the manufacture of the package-bearing pieces may be lessened by employing end-fasteners, formed as is the end-fastener E on the package-bearing piece U in Fig. 18, which end-fastener consists IIO of two eyelets which are adapted to be detachably engaged on the package-bearingpiece fastener 1 which has a double hook for this purpose. Until required for use the sockets k and the loop-holders L of the wireformed bullet-socket K on a package-bearing piece will be bent to lie flat against the fabric of the said piece.

It is intended that package-bearing pieces provided with package-holders for holding packages of ammunition shall be manufactured and stored away for use when the soldiers are required to,go into action and that pending that event the body-band of the improved ammunition-carrier shall be worn by the soldier to support a package bearing piece which is provided with package-holding means adapted to hold the articles for personal use which the soldier now carries in his blanket-roll and which 1 will call a personal package-bearing piece. W hen the soldier goes into action, the said personal packagebearing piece will be detached from the bodyband and replaced by a package-bearing piece bearing ammunition. Furthermore, the described package-holder for holding a package consisting of a clip of cartridges is adapted to hold two clips of cartridges in the same holder, if desired, by employing in place of the bullet-socket K a bullet-socket K which is illustrated in Fig. 19, and only differs from the said bullet-socket K in having an additional loop or eye it, formed in advance of the loop or eye 75.

The cord which is employed in my packageholder may be a spun cord, a metallic cord, or a cord consisting of narrow tape.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A carrier consisting of a bandoleer provided with package-holders for holding packages on the thorax of the wearer; said carrier provided on its ends with waist-belt-fastening means and constructed to be worn suspended upon the front and back of the body from one shoulder with said ends carried at the same time to separate points of attachment on the length of a waist-belt and separately attached thereto by said waist-belt-fastening means; said waist-belt-fastening means being adapted to engage at said points to hold the said bandoleer at an angle with said Waist-belt when in use, and comprising a waist-belt fastener adapted to be detached from and attached to its one of the said points of attachment on the said belt; said package-holders disposed on a portion of said bandoleer to divide the length of said portion into holder-sections, and each of said packageholders comprising means adapted to be extended across the mouth of the package-holder to retain a package in said holder; said bandoleer comprising a pliable band having a folded extension of itself slid ably engaged on a bearing in the length of upon the front and back of the body from one shoulder with said ends carried to separate points of attachment on the length of a waistbelt and forseparate attachmentthereto by said waist-belt-fastening means; said Waist-beltfastening means being adapted to engage at said points to hold the said bandoleer at an angle with said waist-belt when in use, and comprising a waist-belt fastener adapted to be adjusted to points along the length of said waist-belt; said package-holders disposed on a portion of said bandoleer to divide the length of said portion into holder-sections, and each of said package holders comprising means adapted to be extended across the mouth of the package-holder to retain a package in said holder; said bandoleer comprising a pliable band having a folded extension of itself slidably engaged on a bearing in the length of the bandoleer, and said folded extension provided on its end with fastening means adapted to be v adjusted to points along the length of said pliable band to lengthen and shorten the bandoeer.

3. A carrier consisting of a bandoleer provided with package-holders for holding packages on the thorax of the wearer; said carrier provided on its ends with waist-belt-fastening means and constructed to be worn suspended upon the front and back of the body from one shoulder with said ends carried at the same time to separate points of attachment on the length of the waist-belt, and separately attached thereto by said Waist-belt-fastening means; said Waist-belt-fastening means being adapted to engage with said points to hold the said bandoleer at an angle with said waist-belt when in use, and comprising a waist-belt fastener adapted to assume a hooked engagement with its point of attachment on said belt; said package-holders disposed on a portion of said bandoleer to divide the length of said portion into holder-sections, and each of said packageholders comprising means adapted to be eX tended across the mouth of the package-holder to retain a package in said holder; said bandoleer comprising a pliable band having a folded extension of itself slidably engaged on a bearing in the length of the bandoleer, and said folded extension provided on its end with fastening means adapted to be adjusted to points along the length of said pliable band to lengthen and shorten the bandoleer.

4. A carrier consisting of a bandoleer constructed to be worn suspended upon thefront and back of the body from one shoulder for holding packages on the thorax of the wearer; said carrier comprising a body-band, a package-bearing piece, package-bearing-piece fasteners, and securing means, said packagebearing piece provided on its opposite extremities with end-fasteners, and between its said extremities with package-holders dividing a portion of the length of the said piece into holder-sections and said package-bearing piece being held in the carrier by the attacl ment of its said end-fasteners to said package-bearingpiece fasteners, said end-fasteners adapted to be detached from and attached to said package-bearing-piece fasteners, said securing means comprising waist-belt-fastening means whereby the carrier may be secured to a waist-belt, and said securing means being adapted to secure the said body-band and the said package-boaring-strip fasteners in working position on the body of the wearer when the said package-bearing piece is detached from the said pack age-bearing-piecc fasteners.

5. A carrier comprising a body-band, package-bearing-picce fasteners, and a packagebearing piece, said body-band constructed to be worn suspended upon the front and the back of the body from one shoulder, and provided with waist-belt-fastening means whereby it may be secured to suitable points of attachment on the length of a waist-belt, said body-band comprising a pliable band having a folded extension of itself slidably engaged on a bearing in the length of the body-band, and said folded extension being provided at its end with fastening means adapted to be adjusted to points along the length of said pliable band to lengthen and shorten the bodyband, said package-bearing-piece fasteners carried on said body-band, said packagebearing piece provided on its extremities with endfasteners detachabl y engaging with said package-bearing-piece fasteners, and on a portion of its length between said extremities with means for holding packages.

6. A carrier consisting of a bandoleer constructed to be worn suspended upon the front and back of the body from one shoulder with its ends carried to a waist-belt, for holding packages on the thorax of the wearer, said carrier comprising a body-band and a separately-'fori'ned package-bearing piece, said package-bearing piece provided on its extremities with end-fastening means and between said extremities with package-holding means, said body-band provided with waist-belt-fastening means whereby it is attached to a waistbelt, a package-bearingpiece fastener adapted to assume a hooked engagement with the end-fastening means on one of the sald extremities of said package-bearing piece, and said body-band comprising in its length a pliable band having a folded extension of itself slidably engaged on a bearing in the length of the body-band to permit of increasing and diminishing the length of the body'band, and said folded extension being provided at its end with fastening means adapted to be adjusted to points along the length of said pliable band.

7. A carrier consisting of a bandoleer for holding packages on the body of the wearer, said carrier comprising a body-band, a paclc age-bearin g piece, and package-bearing-piece fasteners, said 'iackage-bearing piece being provided on its opposite extrei'nities with endfasteners and between its said extremities with package-holders dividing a portion of the length of the said piece into holder-sections, said. package-bearing piece held in the carrier by the attachment of its said end-fasteners to said package-bcaring-piece fasteners, said endfasteners adapted to be detached from and attached to said package-bearing-piece fasteners, said body-band comprising a pliable band and adjusting means, said pliable band comprising a folded extension of itself slidably engaged on a bearing in the length of the carrier to admit of the carrier being lengthened and shortened, said adjusting means consisting of means for increasing and diminishing the distance separating the said package-bearing-picce fasteners in the length of the carrier.

8. A carrier for cartridges and the like comprising a body-band, means at the ends of said. band for securing the same in connection with the body of a wearer, a package-bearin piece extending longitudinally along the bodyband, fastening devices at the ends of the package-bearing piece for securing the same to the body band, and means for securing packages to the package-bearing piece, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a bandoleer adapted to extend over the shoulder of a wearer, means at the ends of said bandoleer whereby the same may be secured to devices on the body of the wearer, a package-bearing piece extending longitudinally along the bandoleer and provided at its ends with fastening devices and cooperating fastening devices on the bandoleer, the package-bearing piece being adapted for reversal end to end upon the bandoleer, and devices adjacent to the opposite ends of the pacluige-bearing piece for securing the packages to said bearing-piece, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination in a carrier substantiall y as described of a body-band, a packagebearing piece extending longitudinally along the body-band, a fastening device at one end of the paclutge-bearing piece, a fastening device on the bod y-band, and an adjustable strap secured at one end to the body-band and passed at its free end through the fastening device on said package-bearing piece and having its said free end adjustably secured, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a carrier for carrying packages on the body of the wearer, the combination with a supporting piece or strip, and with loop-holding means, of cord passed in opposite directions through a section of the length of said supporting-piece to form on a surface of said section a group of loops having their legs arranged in such relations to the surfaces of a given package as to adapt said loops to be brought against said package to prevent displacement of the package in the directions of said legs, and said loop-holding means consisting of means for detachably holding said loops against said package.

12. The combination in the carrier substantially as described of a body-band, a packagebearing piece having end-fastening devices and adapted for detachable connection with said body-band, and means on the packagebearing piece for detachably securing the packages thereto, substantially as set forth.

13. A carrier adapted to be worn suspended upon the front and back of the body from one shoulder, said carrier 'comprising packagebearing-piece fasteners, a package-bearing piece provided at its extremities with means whereby it is detachably attached to said package-bearing-piece fasteners and provided along a portion of its length between said extremities with package-holders dividing said portion into holder-sections, means whereby said package-bearing-piece fasteners are securely held in operating position on the body of the wearer when said package-bearing piece is detached from said package-bearingpiece fasteners, and the last said means comprising waist-belt-fastening means whereby the carrier isattached to the wearers Waistbelt, said package-holders each consisting of means adapted to hold a package on said strip, said package-bcaring-piece fasteners consisting of means detachably engaging with the said means on the ends of said package-bearing piece and said package-bearing-piece fasteners disposed in the carrier to place them in a position wherein, when the carrier is in use they are adapted to hold said packagebearing piece in a position in which it is mainly located above the lower edge of the wearers belt and has its long diameter on a plane which forms an angle with the plane of the lower edge of said waist-belt.

let. A carrier for carrying packages on the body of a wearer, said carrier comprising a strip of woven material provided on its extremities with fastening means and on a portion of its length with package-holders, said package-holders comprising a package-holder composed of loops, and loop-holding means, said loops formed from short sections of a length of cord having their ends held in such relation to a surface of said. strip and to each other as to form on said surface a group of loops, said loops having their legs arranged in such relations to the surfaces of a given package as to adapt said loops to be brought against said package to prevent displacement of the package in the directions of said legs, and said loop-holding means consisting of means for detachably holding said loops against said package.

15. A carrier for carrying packages on the body of a wearer, said carrier comprising a strip of woven material provided with package-holders, means whereby the length of the carrier may be increased and diminished and means whereby the carrier may be held in position on the body, said package-holders comprising a holder comprising in its construction loop-holding means and short sections of a length of cord held at their ends in such relation to a surface of said strip and to each other as to form on said surface a group of loops, said loops having their legs arranged in such relation to the surfaces of a given package as to adapt said loops to be brought against said package to prevent displacement of the package in the directions of said legs; and said loop-holding means consisting of means for detachably holding said loops against said package.

16. A carrier for carrying packages on the body of a wearer, said carrier comprising a strip of woven material provided with package-holders, means whereby the length of the carrier may be increased and diminished, and means whereby the carrier may be held in position on the body, said package-holders comprising loop-holding means, and short sections of a length of cord held at their ends in such relation to a surface of said strip and to each other as to form on said surface a group of loops, said loops having their legs slidably held on their points of attachment and arranged in such relation to the surfaces of a given package as to adapt said loops to be drawn to tightly embrace said package to prevent displacement of the package in the directions of said legs, and said loop-holding means consisting of means for detachably holding said loops against said package.

17. A carrier for carrying packages on the body of the wearer, said carrier comprising a strip of woven material and a packageholder comprising in its construction loopholding means and short sections of a length of cord held at their ends in such relation to a surface of said strip and to each other as to form on said surface a group of loops, said loops being arranged in such relation to the surface of a given package as to adapt said loops to be brought against said package to prevent displacement of the package in the directions of the sides of said loop and said loop-holding means comprising a loop-holder consisting of a metallic piece having a base by which it is secured to the part which carries it in the package-holder and a hookforming tongue adapted to assume a hooked engagement with one of said loops.

18. The combination with a carrier adapted to be worn by a soldier, of a paclmge-holder comprising in its construction a loop formation having the ends of its legs held on a surface of the carrier in such relation to each other as to form said loop formation into a socketloop adapted to receive a given package to prevent displacement of the same in the directions of its sides, a loop having the ends of its legs held on a line approximately parallel with the direction of said socket-loop and in such relation to the ends of the legs of said loop formation and to said package to form a cover-loop adapted to be brought against an end of said package to prevent its displacement in the direction of said cover-loop, means for preventingdisplacement of the said package in the direction of its other end, and loop holding means for detachably holding said cover-loop against said package.

19. The combination with a carrier adapted to be worn by a soldier, of a package-holder comprising in its construction a loop formation having the ends of its legs held on a surface of the carrier in such relation to each other as to form said loop formation into a socket loop adapted to receive a given package to prevent displacement of the same in the directions of its sides, a loop having the ends of its legs held on a line approximately parallel with the direction of said socket-loop and in such relation to the ends of the legs of said loop formation and to said package as to form a cover-loop adapted to be brought against an end of said package to prevent its displacement in the direction of said cover-loop, means for preventing displacement of the said package in the direction of its other end, and loopholding means for detachably holding said cover-loop against said package, said loopholding means consisting-of a metallic loopholder having a base by which it is secured to the part which carries it in the packageholder and a hook-forming tongue adapted to assume a hooked engagement with said coverloop.

20. In a package-holder for holding a clip of cartridges on a carrier constructed to be worn by a soldier, a loop formation adapted to embrace the shell portion of a clip of cartridges to prevent displacement of the latter in the directions of its sides, aloop having its legs held at the clip end of said holder, a loopholder adapted to assume a hooked engagement with the last said loop to prevent displacement of a clip of cartridges in the direction of its clip end, and a metallic bullet-socket held at the bullet end of said holder and adapted to prevent displacement of a clip of cartridges in the direction of its bullet end, said loopholder adapted to detachably secure the second said loop to said bullet-socket.

21. A package-bearing piece for carriers having a bodyband and constructed to be worn by a soldier, said piece consisting of a strip of Woven material provided at its extremities with end-fastening means adapted to detachably engage with package-bearingpiece fastening means carried on the body portion of the carrier, and said piece having a portion of its length between said extremities provided with package-holders, said package-holders com prising a package-holder having cord loops in its construction, the ends of the legs of said loops being held in such relation to each other as to dispose them at points on said portion on lines at angles with each other.

22. In a iiackage-holder for carriers constructed to be worn by soldiers, a metallic loop-holder in combination with parts comprising a loop formed from cord, said loopholder adapted to assume a hooked engagement with said loop to hold said. loop over a part of a package.

23. In a package-holder for carriers constructed to be worn by soldiers, a metallic loop-holder in combination with parts comprising a short length of cord, said loopholder adapted to assume a hooked engagement with said cord to prevent exit of a package from the mouth of the package-holder.

24:. In combination with a packagebearing portion of a carrier constructed to be worn by a soldier, a package-holder adapted to hold a package consisting of a clip of cartridges,said package-holder comprising means adapted to prevent displacement of said package in the directions of its sides and clip end, and means adapted to prevent displacement of said package in the direction of its bullet end, the last said means consisting of a device made from metal and formed to provide a loop or eye adapted to engage with points on the bullet-end part of said package, said loop or eye carried on an arm of a base which intersects the planes of the front and back surfaces of the back of the package-holder and which base has another arm which is bent at approximately a right angle with said base.

25. A package-holder for holding a package consisting of a clip of cartridges in said package-holder comprising in its construction, a loop adapted to embrace the shell portion of a clip of cartridges to prevent displacement of the said clip of cartridges in the directions of the legs of said loop, a loop having the ends of its legs held at the clip end of the packageholder, a loop-holdenadapted to assume a hooked engagement with the last said loop to prevent displacement of the said clip of cartridges in the direction of its clip end, and a bullet-socket held at the bullet end of the package-holder, said bullet-socket adapted to receive the bullet end of a cartridge in said clip and bring up against a shoulder on said cartridge toprevent displacement of the said clip of cartridges in the direction of its bullet end.

26. A package-holder for securing a clip of cartridges on the package-bearing portion of a carrier constructed to be Worn by a soldier, said package-holder comprising a loop adapted to admit of its legs being brought across the clip end of a clip of cartridges, and a metallic device for the bullet end of the clip of cartridges; said metallic device having a loop or eye to receive the bullet end of a cartridge and an extending pliable portion adapted to be bent into hooked engagement with the loop brought across the clip end of the clip of cartridges.

27. In a package-holder for securing a clip of cartridges on thepackage-bearing portion of a carrier constructed to be Worn by a soldier, a loop having the ends of its legs held to points on said package-bearing portion, and a metallic device having means for engaging the bullet end of a cartridge in a clip of cartridges; said metallic device having an integrally-extending portion adapted to secure said loop for holding the clip of cartridges against movement in the direction of its clip end.

28. In a carrier comprising a row of package-holders adapted to support packages of cartridges on the body of a wearer, a cartridgecovering strip longitudinally held in the carrier by suitable fastening means and adapted to extend in front of said package-holders to prevent the suns rays striking the cartridges, said cartridge-covering strip adapted to permit of the removal of said packages and retain its position in front of said packageholders.

29. A carrier constructed to be Worn by a soldier, comprising package bearing piece fasteners, means adapted to support said 

